A blog launched on the 41st anniversary of the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC), the first pro-life organisation in the world, established on 11 January 1967. SPUC has been a leader in the educational and political battle against abortion, human embryo experimentation and euthanasia since then. I write this blog in my role as SPUC's chief executive, commenting on pro-life news, reflecting on pro-life issues and promoting SPUC's work.

Friday, 1 June 2012

Must-read pro-life news-stories, Fri 1 June

Prince Alois of Liechtenstein

Top stories

Please sponsor mountain-climbers raising funds for SPUC
On 1 and 2 July, a team of SPUC supporters are planning to climb Britain’s three highest peaks – Ben Nevis, Snowdon and Scafell Pike – in order to raise funds for the Glasgow midwives’ appeal costs and SPUC’s other life-affirming work. Please sponsor them. > Full details

Please respond to consultation on conscientious objection
The General Medical Council (GMC) has issued new draft guidance for doctors on "Personal beliefs and medical practice". The draft deals with the important issue of conscientious objection, and it seeks to control how doctors deal with requests for treatments which they do not in conscience provide, which may include abortion, IVF, contraception, the morning-after pill, or euthanasia. There are serious flaws in the draft and doctor who hold pro-life values could be penalised or prevented from practising medicine as a result. Please respond to this consultation yourself and/or ask others (especially doctors). This consultation is being conducted online only. Please visit: http://gmc.e-consultation.net/econsult/ and click on "Consultation on Personal beliefs and medical practice". You need to register to contribute but it is free to do so. The deadline for comments is 13 June 2012. SPUC has published a guideline brief http://www.spuc.org.uk/campaigns/alerts/gmc_consultation_2012 to help you respond to the questions in the consultation.

New abortion figures represent "bonanza" for private abortion sector
Figures issued by the Department of Health indicate that in 2011 there were almost 190,000 registered abortions on resident women in England and Wales. A further 6,000 abortions were registered on non-residents. Paul Tully of SPUC commented: “The statistics also represent an increasing bonanza for the private abortion sector, as their share of the abortion market increases and more NHS money flows into their coffers. They are looking to widen their market further by promoting flawed birth control practices and by promoting abortion as a normal part of people’s sexual health needs." [SPUC, 29 May]

John Smeaton

About Me

I became involved in SPUC after graduating, when I established a branch in south London in 1974. I have worked full-time for SPUC for 39 years. I became chief executive of SPUC in the UK in 1996, having been general secretary since 1978. I was elected vice-president of International Right to Life Federation in 2005. At UN conferences in Cairo, Copenhagen, Beijing, Istanbul and Rome, I helped coordinate more than 150 pro-life/pro-family groups resulting in pro-life victories in Cairo, Istanbul and Rome. I was educated at Salesian College, London, before going to Oxford where I graduated in English Language and Literature. I qualified as a teacher, becoming head of English at a secondary school. I am married to Josephine. We have a grown-up family and we live in north London.

Acknowledgement

I am grateful to SPUC's staff, supporters and advisers for their help to me in researching, writing and producing this blog.

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